REVIEWS
Saudi Aramco World - Sept.-Oct. 2010
“This engaging introduction to the Arabic alphabet and script was written by the granddaughter of James Henry Breasted, the Egyptologist who helped read the seals on Tutankhamun’s tomb. Whitesides teaches the reader how to write the letters of common English and Arabic names in Arabic script. Her method is to reduce an English word down to its consonants, without most vowels, to reverse the sequence of those letters, and then to write them in Arabic script. By book’s end, readers should be able to write their names in Arabic. While it’s impossible to learn the sounds of some Arabic letters, such as dad and ‘ayn, without hearing them spoken, one can certainly learn to read and recognize them as written letters, and Whitesides’s descriptions of the sounds are easily accessible. Throughout the book, she explores English words whose roots come from Arabic, such as jar, genie, lemon, lute, algebra, gypsum and soap. In demystifying Arabic script, Whitesides also brings Arab culture into focus." —Kay Hardy Campbell
Islamic Horizons Review - Mar.-Apr. 2010
“Created as a user-friendly Arabic alphabet-and-culture book for beginners, the author simplifies learning the letters by ordering and then matching them according to the English alphabet. The ample and imaginative use of color also makes this an informative, fun, and useful teaching aid.”
Midwest Book Review - Oct. 2009
“Arabic written script commonly in use by more than 300 million people in more than twenty countries around the world is radically different from that of the scripts descended from the Roman alphabet. But now American and European students wanting to learn to read and write in Arabic have a superbly produced learning tool . . . This deftly composed and presented Arabic alphabet book demystifies the letters by introducing them in an English alphabetical order, and then using the spelling of English names and words as a way of learning Arabic. Students will be able look up matching letters, follow clear directions, and quite quickly become able to write their own name in Arabic. Profusely illustrated throughout, 'Sugar Comes From Arabic' is an enthusiastically recommended addition to personal, school, and community library Language Studies reference collections and curriculum supplements.”
School Library Journal - Sept. 2009
"This innovative guide has a twofold purpose: to teach the Arabic alphabet and to provide a window into Arabic culture. . . .a charming accessible book for all ages. It's informative, fun, and useful."
Louise Ermelino, Publishers Weekly
ACADEMICS
"Not only have you made learning the Arabic script fun but you have managed to embed this learning within broader cultural concepts (Western and Arab) . . . quite an accomplishment."
Ali Asani, professor of Indo-Muslim and Islamic Religion and Culture, Harvard University
"The book is absolutely beautiful. . .an essential tool. . . for beginners of Arabic."
Leila Fawaz, Issam M. Fares Professor of Lebanese and Eastern Mediterranean Studies; Founding Director, Fares Center for Eastern Mediterranean Studies, Tufts University
"[The book] is going to help a lot of people of diverse ages, not only as an introduction to the language, but as a needed cultural bridge as well. . . .through the wonderful photographs and background materials. . . .won't the teacher be happy to have this?"
Nancy Brown, retired librarian, Newton, Mass.
"[The] book is such a delight!. . .I found. . .the three steps to translating words so useful. . .It will surely fill a huge hole for the language community everywhere."
Walden Morton, retired teacher, Portland, Maine
COLLEAGUES
"I love your approach. It's fun, information-packed, beautiful, original, and easy to use."
Margaret Shepherd, author of "Calligraphy All OverThe World," forthcoming from Random House
Saudi Aramco World - Sept.-Oct. 2010
“This engaging introduction to the Arabic alphabet and script was written by the granddaughter of James Henry Breasted, the Egyptologist who helped read the seals on Tutankhamun’s tomb. Whitesides teaches the reader how to write the letters of common English and Arabic names in Arabic script. Her method is to reduce an English word down to its consonants, without most vowels, to reverse the sequence of those letters, and then to write them in Arabic script. By book’s end, readers should be able to write their names in Arabic. While it’s impossible to learn the sounds of some Arabic letters, such as dad and ‘ayn, without hearing them spoken, one can certainly learn to read and recognize them as written letters, and Whitesides’s descriptions of the sounds are easily accessible. Throughout the book, she explores English words whose roots come from Arabic, such as jar, genie, lemon, lute, algebra, gypsum and soap. In demystifying Arabic script, Whitesides also brings Arab culture into focus." —Kay Hardy Campbell
Islamic Horizons Review - Mar.-Apr. 2010
“Created as a user-friendly Arabic alphabet-and-culture book for beginners, the author simplifies learning the letters by ordering and then matching them according to the English alphabet. The ample and imaginative use of color also makes this an informative, fun, and useful teaching aid.”
Midwest Book Review - Oct. 2009
“Arabic written script commonly in use by more than 300 million people in more than twenty countries around the world is radically different from that of the scripts descended from the Roman alphabet. But now American and European students wanting to learn to read and write in Arabic have a superbly produced learning tool . . . This deftly composed and presented Arabic alphabet book demystifies the letters by introducing them in an English alphabetical order, and then using the spelling of English names and words as a way of learning Arabic. Students will be able look up matching letters, follow clear directions, and quite quickly become able to write their own name in Arabic. Profusely illustrated throughout, 'Sugar Comes From Arabic' is an enthusiastically recommended addition to personal, school, and community library Language Studies reference collections and curriculum supplements.”
School Library Journal - Sept. 2009
"This innovative guide has a twofold purpose: to teach the Arabic alphabet and to provide a window into Arabic culture. . . .a charming accessible book for all ages. It's informative, fun, and useful."
Louise Ermelino, Publishers Weekly
ACADEMICS
"Not only have you made learning the Arabic script fun but you have managed to embed this learning within broader cultural concepts (Western and Arab) . . . quite an accomplishment."
Ali Asani, professor of Indo-Muslim and Islamic Religion and Culture, Harvard University
"The book is absolutely beautiful. . .an essential tool. . . for beginners of Arabic."
Leila Fawaz, Issam M. Fares Professor of Lebanese and Eastern Mediterranean Studies; Founding Director, Fares Center for Eastern Mediterranean Studies, Tufts University
"[The book] is going to help a lot of people of diverse ages, not only as an introduction to the language, but as a needed cultural bridge as well. . . .through the wonderful photographs and background materials. . . .won't the teacher be happy to have this?"
Nancy Brown, retired librarian, Newton, Mass.
"[The] book is such a delight!. . .I found. . .the three steps to translating words so useful. . .It will surely fill a huge hole for the language community everywhere."
Walden Morton, retired teacher, Portland, Maine
COLLEAGUES
"I love your approach. It's fun, information-packed, beautiful, original, and easy to use."
Margaret Shepherd, author of "Calligraphy All OverThe World," forthcoming from Random House